“Hereditary,” the film many people passed on

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One movie that, to my surprise, many seemed to have missed this summer was “Hereditary.” It’s a drama/thriller with some elements of a horror film written and directed by Ari Aster. It follows the Graham family right after the death of their grandmother, who lived a very secret life that comes back to haunt the rest of the family.

I came into the move with lower expectations than usual. Though the trailer did hook me, I was also hesitant because of the current state of the horror movie genre. Most horror movies in the last decade (anything written by James Wan) weren’t that unique, from the mediocre plot lines, cash-grab sequels, and cheap jump scares to trick you into thinking it’s a good movie. But to my surprise, Hereditary was not what I expected, and that’s a good thing.

What makes “Hereditary” special is that it’s a good movie first, and a scary one second. Instead of using jump scares to terrify the audience, the film uses other forms of fear. The best way to describe it is a constant feeling of uneasiness that can be very disturbing. For the most part, the story is superb. You can’t guess what’s going to happen next, and it’s like solving a puzzle with each new detail the movie gives you. Also, the timing is the best I’ve seen in a horror film. You won’t find yourself getting bored. One thing I will say against the film, and this is where I think the story would fall short to some people, is the ending. The movie requires your attention throughout the entire story, and if you’re not a fan of confusing stories that require a bit of backstory and research, then “Hereditary” may not be for you. Additionally, the ending also can be seen as a bit outlandish and not what you’d expect, and I admit that I was a let down a bit by it.

Be prepared for a great story, watch closely, and my last piece of advice that’ll give you is: watch the movie twice. That goes for any great film, you will catch things that you missed the first time.